Wisdom Wednesday : Wisdom of David -Part 1
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
“Then the commanders of the Philistines went out to battle, and it happened as often as they went out, that David behaved himself more wisely than all the servants of Saul. So his name was highly esteemed.” 1 Sam 18:30.
In this series of articles on Biblical wisdom, we examine the accounts of the wisdom (and the glaring foolishness) of David, the King of Israel who reigned for 40 years. We will examine the passages that directly describe or strongly infer the characteristics of his wisdom as well as his failures to act wisely or morally.
The record of David life demonstrated an enduring faith in God and the chronicler and Nehemiah regarded him as a “Man of God’ when referring to him. (2Chron. 8:14; Neh. 12:24, 36) He was also described as “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22) meaning he was chosen by God, to follow God’s heart and Spirit. His faith is found in the three major phases of his life (ages approximate):
- Early Years (Age 1-20) As a boy, David was chosen by God through the prophet Samuel and demonstrated his faith and courage as a teenager by slaying a lion and a bear (1 Sam 17:34-36). When the Philistine giant Goliath challenged the armies of Saul, David had confidence that the Lord would deliver him, and he proceeded to confront the giant, killing him with his sling. He gave an eloquent declaration to Goliath that he came in the name of the Lord of hosts (Lord of armies) in Whom he trusted. (1 Sam 17).
- Life in Exile (age 20-30) Brought to the court of king Saul, David’s popularity soon brought him the jealousy and hatred of the king (1 Sam 18-19), and he was chased through the countryside for a decade, with a band of up to 600 men as Saul sought to kill him (I Sam 18-27). In this period, David’s deep faith was tested, and he was inspired by God’s Spirit to write many Psalms (See 18; 34; 52; 54; 56–57)
- King and Commander (age 30-70) – When Saul died (1 Sam 31; 2 Sam. 2:10–11), David was anointed King at age 30 to rule over Judah at Hebron (2 Sam. 5:4). When Samuel anointed him, Scripture records that the Spirit of Lord came and remained upon him (I Sam. 16:13). This, of course, is the Spirit that imparts wisdom referred to in several passages (See Isa. 11:2 referring to the Messiah, and 1 Cor. 2:12-14 referring to believers today who receive wisdom from God’s Spirit). David’s kingdom was marked by continual warfare against neighboring nations, internal civil war, and even a coup d’état led by his son Absalom.
In addition to being a national leader, David was a military commander responsible for leading many wars. It is important to note that David is contrasted with Saul in two passages:
- David behaved “more wisely” (skillfully) than Saul’s servants (military commanders) and was highly esteemed (1 Sam 18:30)
- Saul, on the other hand, was chastised by Samuel the prophet because he behaved “foolishly” and did not keep the Lord’s commandments (1 Sam. 13:13-14)
In the following weeks, we will explore further the evidence of David’s fear of the Lord, faith, and courage when confronted by danger, as well as aspects of his wisdom (and the reasons for his foolish failures, too).
Let us seek to behave “wisely” and as it was said of David, and learn from his wisdom and failures.